Hungarian parliament ratifies Albania’s NATO protocol

TIRANA, Sep 16 – The Hungarian parliament has ratified the protocol for Albanian and Croatian NATO membership.
Both countries received their membership invitation at NATO’s last summit in April.
The protocol has to be ratified by all NATO member countries before the two countries become full members.
The Hungarian parliament voted unanimously in favor of the ratification of the NATO accession protocols of Albania and Croatia on Monday.
“It is of primary interest that the Balkan countries integrate into NATO and the European Union,” Foreign Minister Kinga Goncz said after Hungary became the first NATO member to ratify the accession documents.
Goncz emphasized Hungary’s role in the preparation of the two countries for NATO membership.
In July, the 26 countries of the North Atlantic Council signed the accession protocols of Albania and Croatia.
Following the ratification by the 26 parliaments, the two Balkan countries will join the alliance at its next summit in April next year.